Station-indicator.



A. W. MEEK.

STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16. 1915.

Patented Apr. 11 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1.

, :-;NEXT/ STATION WITNESSES.-

A. W. MEEK.

STATION INDICATOR. APPLICATION FILED IUNE m. 1915.

Patented Apr. 11,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Allomey THE CPLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

, em s ATS STATION-INDICATOR. I

: To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADAM W. MEEK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mascot, in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Station-Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to station indicators and its object is to provide a station indicator of simple construction capable of operation either manually or automatically to exhibit the names of stations, and also to display advertising placards or other information.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a casing of appropriate form wherein is lodged a band containing names of the stations in order and susceptible of operation in any appropriate manner with means for reversing the direction of the band to correspondingly reverse the or der of display of the names of the stations when the car or other vehicle has completed a trip and is traveling in the opposite direction. In conjunction with the display of the station names suitableattention-attracting means are provided to cause the passengers to observe the indicator and thus be apprised of the progress of the car.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the'following detailed description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention. I

' In the drawings: Flgure 1 1s a front elevation of the station indicator. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line33 of Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2 showing some parts in elevation. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a casing 1 which may be of any appropriate shape for the purpose. This casing has what constitutes the front or visible wall provided with a sight opening 2 at an ap- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Apr. 11, 1916.

Application filed June 16, 1915. Serial No. 34,499.

propriate position and adjacent thereto a suitable legend indicated at 3, which in the particular arrangement shown contains the words Next station, so that the observer will be informed that the name which is made to appear at the sight opening 2 in a manner to be described isthe name of the next station toward which the car is moving, it being understood that the station indicator is ordinarily mounted upon a passenger car.

WVithin the casing 1 at approximately spaced points are shafts 4, 5, respectively. The shaft 4 has a drum 6 mounted thereon and the shaft 5 has a drum 7 mounted thereon, and extending about these drums is a band 8 shown as endless in the drawings, but which may be otherwise arranged in accordance with the list of stations to be displayed. Printed or otherwise produced upon the band 8 are names, "one of which is shown at 9, andthese names are arranged in consecutive order inagreement withthe or- 1 the band will always appear in proper order p and position at the sight opening 2.

The drum 7 is an idler .drum andmerely serves to holdthe band in the desired, de-, gree of tautness. The drum 6 is a driving drum for the band and the shaft 4 of the drum 6 has fast thereon a ratchet wheel 11 by means of which rotative movement is imparted to the drum. In order to cause such rotative movement there is provided a stud 12 on one side of the casing, and on this stud there is pivotally supported a rock arm 13 having fast thereto a cross arm 14 participating in movements of'the rock arm 13. Cords or strands 15, 16, respectively,

are secured to opposite ends of the rock arm always returned by these springs to the central position. The arm 14 is substantially perpendicular to the arm 13 and at its ends carries two other rock arms 18, 19, respectively. Each arm 18 and 19 has teeth 20 at one end and a notch 21 at the other end. Springs 22 each fast at one end to the arm 13 and at the other end to a respective one of the arms 18 and 19 tend to move the toothed ends 20 of the arm 18, 19 toward each other and toward the ratchet wheel 11, which is located in the path of these arms. Carried by the arm 13 is a rockable lock member 23 having a tooth 24 at each end, such tooth being adapted to engage in the notch 21 of a respective arm 18 or 19. When the tooth 24 is in the notch 21 of, say, the arm, 18, the latter is in a position separated from the ratchet wheel 11 and does not then engage the wheel, being held out of engagement by the latch arm 23. The other arm 19 is then free from the corresponding tooth 24 and is moved against the ratchet wheel 11 by the spring 22. If, now, the arm 13 be rocked in the appropriate direction, say, by the cord 16, the arm 19 is moved in a direction to cause its teeth 20 to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 11 and rotate said wheel. Since the ratchet wheel 11 is fast on the shaft 4 the latter participates in the rotative movement of the ratchet wheel, and the drum 6 also fast on the shaft 4 causes a movement of the band or web 8, which movement is of an extent to move the displayed station name 9 out of sight and exhibit the next one in order at the opening 2. During this time the arm 18 is locked out of engaging relation with the wheel 11 and is therefore inactive. On the release of the actuated cord the teeth 20 which have a one-way inclination, ride idly over the ratchet wheel, the arm 13 being moved to the central or neutral position by the action of the equalizing springs 17. The shaft 4 also carries a spur wheel 25 fast thereto and in the path of this spur wheel is a clapper arm 26 centralized by springs 27 and provided with a striker head 28 in operative relation to a bell 29 carried by a post 30 erected on the casing l. The shaft 4 also carries a wheel or drum 31 provided with a sinuous peripheral groove 32 into which extends an angle continuation 33 of arocker arm 34 mounted on a stud 35 exterior to the casing 1. The end 33 of the arm 34 enters the casing through a slot 36 of sufficient size to permit rocking movements of the arm 34.

- The other end of the arm 34 carries one end arrangement is such that with the end 38 of the link 37 in one position the cards are all held in a substantially upright position, but when the link is moved so as to be opposite a notch 41 the front card is no longer held, but falls to a pendent position, while the end of the link 37 is then in the path of the second card in order. When, however, the arm 34 is rocked in the other direction the end 38 of the link 37 is brought opposite the notch 41 of the second card, whereupon the latter being no longer held falls forwardly and downwardly to a pendent position. In this manner a card 39 which may have advertising matter on both sides is released at each display of a station name and as the passenger is attracted to the indicator by the noise of the bell 29 the advertising matter will be seen at the same time. At the end of a run the cards are readily lifted to the upright position to be there held by the link 37 and again released as upon the first trip. The cord 15 or 16 is manipulated if the display of stations is to be made by the conductor or other person in charge of the car, or the cord is actuated by some mechanical or other means along the line of travel. At the end of the route and before the return run is made the responsible person sees to it that the latch lever 23 is reversed and that the sign cards are lifted into operative position.

What is claimed is 1. A station indicator comprising a band or web for the display of station names, carrying drums for the band or web, a ratchet wheel fast to one drum, toothed rock arms in operative relation to the ratchet wheel, a rockable support for the toothed arms having its axis of rocking out of coincidence with the axis of the ratchet wheel, means for actuating the rockable support to move one or the other of the toothed arms into actuating engagement with the ratchet wheel, and a locking means for holding one or the other of the toothed arms in the inoperative position.

2. A station indicator comprising a band or web for the display of station names, carrying drums for the band or web, a ratchet wheel fast to one drum, toothed rock arms in operative relation to the ratchet wheel, a rockable support for the toothed arms, means for actuating the rockable support to move one or the other of the toothed arms into actuating engagement with the ratchet wheel, and a locking means for holding one or the other of the toothed arms in the inoperative position, said locking means comprising a rockable arm terminating at each end in a tooth and the toothed arms each having the end remote from the toothed end provided with a notch for the reception of the corresponding tooth on the locking arm- 3. A station indicator comprising a band or web for the display of station names, carrying drums for the band or web, a ratchet wheel fast to one drum, separate toothed rock arms in operative relation to and on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel, a rockable support having an intermediate axis of rocking with the toothed arms separately carried by said rockable support on respectively opposite sides of the axis of rocking, actuating strands extending to a distance and attached to the rockable supports on opposite sides of its axis of rocking to move one or the other of the toothed arms into actuating engagement with the ratchet wheel, and a locking means for holding one or the other of the toothed arms in the inoperative position, said locking means comprising a rockable arm terminating at each end in a tooth and the toothed arms each having the end remote from the toothed end provided with a notch for the reception of the corresponding tooth on the locking arm, and the rockable support having centralizing springs tending to hold it in a neutral position.

4. A station indicator comprising a casing, spaced drums therein, a web mounted on the drums and containing station names, a ratchet wheel fast to one drum, a rock arm within the casing, another arm on and fast to the rock arm and extending perpendicular thereto, equalizing springs for the firstnamed rock arm, other rock arms mounted intermediately of their length upon the opposite ends of the cross arm, said last-named rock arms each having one end toothed and in position to engage the ratchet wheel and the other end provided with a notch, springs connecting the first-named rock arm to the last named rock arms and tending to move the tooth ends of the latter toward the ratchet wheel, a latch arm carried bythe first-named rock arm and provided at each end with a tooth adapted to engage in a notch in a respective toothed arm, and means for rocking the first-named arm in either direction against the equalizing efiect of the springs.

5. A station indicator comprising a casing, means within the casing for the display of station names, advertising members carried by the casing exterior thereto and movable by gravity from an upright to a pendent position, means for the periodic release of the advertising means comprising a Wheel carried by the means for displaying the station names, and provided with a sinuous peripheral groove, a rock arm carried by the casing and having one end entering the groove, and a link carried by the other end of the arm and movable in the path of the advertising means to release the advertising means one at a time by rocking movements imparted to the rock arm by the wheels of the sinuous groove.

6. A station indicator comprising a casing, aweb containing station names and located within the casing for the display of the names one at a time, means within the casing for supporting and actuating the web, advertising members exterior to and carried by the casing and movable by gravity from one position of display to another position of display, means for the successive release of the advertising members, and connections between the last-named means and the actuating means for the web timed in operation to cause the release of an advertising member for each movement of the web to display a station name.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ADAM W. MEEK.

Witnesses:

R. A. MYNATT, C. S. REEDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

